Kevin Callinan: Working from home is a real political issue

Irish Examiner

12-05-2025

The Australian Liberal Party's opposition to the working from home policy, one that proved so unpopular that it was reversed mid-campaign, is widely believed to have contributed to its defeat in last weekend's general election.
Speaking as the scale of the outgoing government's victory was becoming apparent, Labor Senator Deborah O'Neill expressed disbelief that the Liberals had sought to cut back working from home.
"Do they have no idea what it's like to be a modern family?" she said. Referring to the expectations of many young people to have the option to work from home, she went on to say: "There's a productivity agenda here for families and society as well as for the economy."
There's an important message in this for other governments. In Ireland, the current Programme for Government was noticeably silent on the subject when compared to the commitment in the previous programme to a 20% target and to the Make Remote Work policy.
It's difficult not to conclude that some politicians are more concerned with mimicking the DOGE agenda in the United States, and having a go at what is often mistakenly perceived as an almost exclusively public service phenomenon.
Kevin Callinan: 'There is too much at stake for working from home to be seen as just a covid phenomenon. If we get it right, this can be central to our economic and social prosperity.' File picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos
At last month's Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), understanding the importance of the availability of flexible working arrangements to attract and retain the best talent, employer representatives supported the trade union call for an in-depth examination of all the issues involved in working from home.
There are concerns expressed about the health, safety, and welfare of staff operating in isolation, and about the ability of organisations to harness the energy that can come with physical team gatherings. There's also concern about the negative career trajectories for women that could be a consequence of home working.
These are challenges that call for good management, and they are all issues that can be addressed. It would be a mistake to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The covid experience has shown conclusively that remote working can be successful, and productivity can be improved, not just maintained. As recent statistics show, younger workers are voting with their application letters and CVs, favouring opportunities that provide for remote, hybrid, or blended work.
Decisions should be based on evidence, not on whether it's inconvenient for those in charge to manage. This appeared to be at play earlier this year, in moves to reduce working from home in parts of the civil service. These changes should be suspended to allow a comprehensive review to be conducted.
We need real data to inform future policy.
Any assessment must also extend to the broader societal and ecological issues. For those of us who cannot work from home, it's not in our interest to have additional traffic on the road adding to our already lengthy commutes and to atmospheric pollution and the carbon footprint.
We all benefit, however, from the growing evidence that, by avoiding wasted travelling hours each day, people who work from home have time to give to their local schools, sports clubs, and communities. Not to mention to their families.
It is ironic that the loudest voices railing against working from home have been from some regional independents. Perhaps this is driven by frustration with service delivery. If so, this should be dealt with on the merits of the case whether it's due to a failure of management, inadequate resources, or something else.
There can be little doubt that working from home is making a real difference in rural Ireland and that, with proper planning, it has the potential to be transformational. Those people using the hubs that are now based in many towns and villages, and those working in home offices, represent a market for local shops and businesses that would otherwise be elsewhere.
There is too much at stake for working from home to be seen as just a covid phenomenon. If we get it right, this can be central to our economic and social prosperity. We need to recognise that and resist the trendy opposition to it that we see in parts of the political and corporate world.
The government should seize the initiative, arising from the Labour Employer Economic Forum, to propose terms of reference for a major study. To fail to do so would be an enormous own goal. Like Australia, there could be a political price to be paid, too.
Kevin Callinan is the General Secretary of Fórsa and was President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for the 2021-23 term.